Baker joins Roscoe Village Foundation as management consultant
David Baker
COSHOCTON — The Roscoe Village Board of Trustees has announced the hiring of David Baker as management consultant to The Roscoe Village Foundation, effective July 1, 2014. Baker will report directly to the board of trustees and will collaborate with the board and staff on all facets of village life with an emphasis on business development and philanthropy.
A Coshocton native, Baker brings extensive nonprofit and commercial business development experience to Roscoe Village. He has served many nonprofit boards as a director, officer, and advisor including boards for aviation, public broadcasting, visual and performing arts, recreational trails, and alumni affairs.
Based on previous civic collaborations, Ann Simpson, president of The Roscoe Village Foundation Board of Trustees, initially invited Baker to volunteer on the Roscoe Village Life Committee which was evaluating new growth and development opportunities.
“David immediately assessed the opportunities facing Roscoe Village and paths to greater community engagement,” said Simpson. “It quickly became evident that we needed his experience and leadership to guide planning and implementation. His passion for the community and public service is truly remarkable and we are delighted that David has joined our team.”
Baker says that beyond historic and cultural preservation, Roscoe Village has become an important gateway to the community.
“Many businesses in Roscoe Village and greater Coshocton County benefit from the Historic Roscoe Village brand and its regional visibility,” he said. “The combination of nonprofit and commercial entities in Roscoe Village not only impacts the local economy and drives community use of the village, but offers our visitors unique historic, retail, dining, and entertainment opportunities. I have hosted many out-of-town guests in Roscoe Village who mention their enjoyable experiences here many years later. We collectively create an indelible impression for our guests. By strengthening local collaborations we can further benefit individual enterprises and the entire community.”
Baker looks forward to working closely with local business owners, Coshocton Visitors Bureau, Roscoe Village Business Owners Association, and Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce to maximize community impact.
“The Roscoe Village Foundation already plays a significant role promoting the community through an identifiable brand, regional marketing, and special events that bring tens of thousands of visitors to our community annually,” he said. “Beyond tourism, Historic Roscoe Village serves as an economic catalyst. Through greater public-private collaboration we hope to maximize community impact by increasing activity, expanding visibility, attracting more guests, and enhancing the local economy through business retention, expansion, and relocation.”
Baker’s local nonprofit experience has included multiple development campaigns for WOSU Public Media (91.1 FM, 88.3FM, WOSU-TV), MMS Aviation, Coshocton Recreational Trails, The WOSU Fund at the Coshocton Foundation, Coshocton Classical Concert Series, and renovation of the Coshocton High School tennis complex. An alumnus of The Ohio State University he has served various affiliated boards including WOSU Public Media (chair), Alumni Advisory Council (chair), Alumni Association Board of Directors (ex-officio), and School of Music Ambassadors. He has received numerous national awards for nonprofit advocacy, development, and leadership including the 2005 PBS Leadership Award, the highest honor awarded public broadcasting volunteers for development leadership.
Baker initiated his career developing one of the nation’s first centers banking bone and connective tissues for human transplantation; he managed Orthopedic and sports medicine clinics; and was appointed as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the University of Cincinnati Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
Baker subsequently formed The Eddington Venture Group to provide strategic planning, corporate finance, and public affairs representation for commercial and nonprofit clients. Engagements have included aviation, flight-based medical outreach in sub-Saharan Africa, emerging medical technologies, petrochemical manufacturing, and medical clinics. He also co-founded Corona Color LLC a technology firm that developed inks for commercial printing and a centrifugal force mill designed for difficult grinding applications.
Even though the business model at Historic Roscoe Village has changed over the years, including the divestiture of some real estate and foundation-operated businesses, Baker says he sees room to grow the enterprise.
“Edward and Frances Montgomery provided us a tremendous living legacy of community service and a beautifully preserved village that multiple generations of guests choose to visit,” Baker said. “We hope to not only preserve their vision for Historic Roscoe Village but maximize its value and impact for the entire community.”
The Historic Roscoe Village offices are located at the Roscoe Village Visitors Center, 600 N. Whitewoman St. For information about Historic Roscoe Village, call 800-877-1830 or visit www.roscoevillage.com. To reach Baker, contact him at 622-7644 ext. 17, or e-mail dbaker@roscoevillage.com.
Category: Business
